My Pregnancy Survival Guide

The
only thing I remember from my first two pregnancies is the height of
labor pain. I knew that I'd heard too many women say that the pain is
horrendous but then you forget it and commit to doing it again...so I
decided I would lodge that feeling into my brain so that I wouldn't fall
for that. The trouble is I'm now 39 weeks pregnant with the fear
looming. I don't remember any of the other bits! This time round though I
choose a wider variety of survival notes... incase I ever do this
again... because who knows...!?

1. Don't bother with the maternity
label in clothes. Buying clothes early on is a good idea actually, so
that you only buy stuff that you will fit and wear afterwards too. I've
had to get a couple of maternity bits and pieces - a winter coat, skinny
jeans with one of those unattractive but comfy waistbands (which I've
been told are also great for breastfeeding when you want a few layers to
cover up bits of body you don't want to show off in public weeks after
childbirth) and a dress or two. Other than that I've looked for things
like dresses and longer vest tops, a couple of pretty Joules tunics,
basic cardigans and scarves that I can layer up and will fit just fine
in the months to come post birth. I don't know why I did it but I
succumbed to buying one of those maternity wrap dresses. It was mumsy, a
weird 90's esq pattern, looked boring snoring on the website... but
something in me decided that I might grow up and want to look sensible
and pregnant this time round??! I wore it once to the office
subconsciously when I knew I wouldn't be seeing many people. I felt like
a boring, personality-less, generic lady from a catalogue and hated
every moment in it. It wont get worn again- ever. I'm much, much happier
in shirts, and cardigans over a long vest with jeans or shorts - I feel
like me. Perhaps the best investment has been bump band though -
anything which supports some of the weight of your tummy and gives your
back a bit of help is well worth the money (and by 'money' I mean £12
from asos) .

2. Remember it's worth it. Right now its worth it.
I'm 39 weeks, not sleeping or walking comfortably. I know there is a
babies head very lodged right into my pelvis so getting in and out of a
car, bending down to sort the washing, getting in and out of bed and
generally sitting still at a desk all hurts... but it's still worth it.
There was a moment in the first few weeks when tiredness and nausea was
getting to me. I couldn't imagine growing a bump that would feel like a
baby was even part of what was going on... so at that stage remember
that people will be more sympathetic when you start to look pregnant and
if you can get away with going to bed at 8pm for a few weeks it will be
ok and that feeling of utter exhaustion won't last forever. If you need
to puke your way through the first trimester then tell people that you
feel that way. The worst part of any of my pregnancies (child-birth not
included) was taking the drs advice, the first time round, not to tell
anyone until after 12 weeks. Finding suitable puking places is so much
more traumatic when you are set on trying to convince everyone around
you that you are fine and not-at-all-pregnant.

3. Keep a lot of
snacks ready and bottles of water in your handbag/next to your bed at
all times. Don't allow your husband to drag you on an 11 mile walk with
only a kids lolly to keep your energy levels up. You will go off him by
mile 8 and start to fantasize about cherry tomatoes in pasta with
anchovies. (Or pack up a meal like that and consume between mile 8-11.)
Don't eat sweets to make yourself feel more awake - oranges, rice cakes
and bran flakes with lots of full fat milk will be far better and keep
the nausea at bay - unless its just that horrid nausea where you'll be
sick whatever you have. Don't get that type. Corn flakes at 3am may be a
bit odd... but when you were 10 years old that would have been the most
exciting thing in the whole world so go with it and enjoy it - it will
only last a month or two!

4. Spend your spare money on having nice
hair cuts, beauty treatments, gorgeous overnight creams and treats for
the bath. You'll be spending a LOT more time in your PJs than normal and
not as much money on party shoes so make that PJ time feel a bit more
productive and treat yourself before you go through the birth and you'll
feel incredibly battered and certainly will not be wanting a bikini wax
for quite a while. We had a massive cut in income for the first 6
months of this pregnancy...dying my own hair, no haircuts and feeling v
drab didn't help. I've got all my treatments and hair appointments
booked in for this final week so that I don't have to figure out how to
do those with a newborn for just a little bit longer.

5. Don't worry about nesting too early. I thought I was a bit OTT
getting the nursery ready in week 12 but I do like to do things early
on. If I'd held off till now I would have run out of energy. Looking
after a 7 and 9 year old, working and trying to hand over 9 years of
work to other people form while I'm away and carrying a huge tummy
around has meant my nesting has worn off a little. I've decorated 5
rooms of the house at various points of the 2nd trimester but I'm not
desperate to get out the paints again at the moment.
6. Eat as
well as you can. I've been lucky enough to have spent 3 sessions in the
last couple of weeks with a nutritionist. The plan was to devise an
eating plan to help with weight loss after the birth. After a couple of
hours listening about the benefits of B vitamins, calcium and the
production of selenium I couldn't hold myself from a cupboard binning
session and a big shop at Sainsburys. I know I've really benefited from
eating well before but had got lazy more recently. I have no need to
wait until I've given birth to banish those nasty sugar cravings and
fill my day with filling and healthy snacks. I feel SO MUCH BETTER.
Already.
7. Don't wear wooly jumpers. Huge boobs and a huge tummy
do not need any more volume adding and you wont be happy when you look
in the mirror in one. Christmas jumpers will be here to stay for a few
more years so they can afford to take a year off.
8. Think of baby
names earlier than 4 days before. Having banned all baby name
discussion after both children were writing lists of 100 a day we
haven't got back into that topic yet and with 4 days till due day the
panic is setting in! We are now pretty much decided between 2... but
they are only for one gender and if we get a surprise (it happens so
often!) we are well and truly stumped! Time to get onto mumsnet for some
help!!